


If I Were A Bird

by FandomLastsForever



Series: Musical May [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Birds, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birds, Established Relationship, Inspired by Music, M/M, On Hiatus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 15:38:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLastsForever/pseuds/FandomLastsForever
Summary: In my darkest dreamsI hear you call meYou give me the reason to live.After having a strange dream of flight, James wakes up to discover he's no longer human.





	If I Were A Bird

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4 entry for Ironqrow week.  
> Inspired by the track "If I Were A Bird" performed by Hitomi

_The breeze felt so gentle against his wings. Sometimes he wondered if he'd ever come down. The sky was so peaceful. Much more of a home than that of Atlas. If he could, he'd stay in flight forever._

_Oh how I wish I could fly in the night whenever I wish, he thought. And not just in my dreams._

_He wondered if anyone else knew this weightless joy that came from soaring high above the ground. There was nothing more pure and free than that of flying._

_I wish I could fly forever._

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It was supposed to be the same routine. He was supposed to get up, get dressed, and head to the office. He had Jacques coming in today, and he couldn't afford to miss this meeting. And later he had to prepare for when Qrow was coming home. The man had been gone for two months for work. He deserved to come home from it to a clean apartment, ready to relax whether James was home or at work.

But he couldn't go into work today. Not at all.

Not when he couldn't talk to anyone.

Not when he was not of feathers and not of flesh.

When James had woken that morning, he had awoken covered in blankets and darkness. He was no longer a man. Crawling out of bed and falling to the floor, he had to waddle over to the mirror to see what had become of him.

His eyes were still the same blue, but they were not those of a man. A golden beak with a darkened tip. Dark grey feathers across his back, and white upon his chest, speckled nicely all across his body's legs. Black talons on his left leg, and his right side, while still robotic, was now in the shape of his new form. He was no longer human.

He was a falcon, bold and true.

 _How could this have happened?_ James thought. _How in the name of all that is good did this happen?_

He had to call someone. Anyone.

No, not call. No one would understand him. Maybe he can type. Yeah, typing an email should be easy. He'd tell them that he can't come in today because he was sick.

But the computer was in his home office.

Locked behind a door he couldn't open.

_What am I supposed to do?_

**_"James! You there?"_ **

James felt his entire body bristle. That voice. It couldn't be-

_**"You still asleep? It's almost nine in the morning. You better not be ditching work for me."** _

This was bad. Qrow wasn't supposed to be home today. James paced back and forth rapidly, trying to think of where to hide. He could try under the bed, but with it being unmade, Qrow would get suspicious. The man was always too nosy for his own good.

The closet was a possibility, if only he could open it. James flapped his wings, only managing to flutter upwards three inches before falling back to the floor with a thud.

**_"James? That you love?"_ **

James would hear the footsteps making their way to the bedroom. In his panic, James let out a harsh screech.

_He can't see me like this. He'll-_

_"Well hello there, little guy."_

James turned around, flapping his wings slightly as Qrow kneeled down, holding his right hand out to him. By the gods, did he look as beautiful as ever. Red star-filled eyes, feathery black hair, the partly unbuttoned grey dress shirt hung loosely around his shoulders. He was a vision of perfection.

And James wanted nothing more than to hug the man right then and there.

"Come here," Qrow said. "I won't hurt you."

Hesitantly, James walked forward, nuzzling his head into the touch of his lover's hand. Qrow's red gaze soften as the feathers brushed along his calloused palms.

"See?" Qrow hummed. "I'm a friend. I won't hurt you." Gently, he scooped James into his arms, and James pressed his head against Qrow's chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heart beat.

 _Oh Qrow,_ he thought. _I wish I could talk to you._

"Where did James find you?" Qrow asked fondly. "He should have told me we were getting a pet. I'd have brought you souvenirs too."

James watched as Qrow began to walk around the apartment, checking all of the rooms for signs of him. There was the coat still on the rack by the door, the keys and wallet on the table, the gloves on the nightstand. By all accounts James Ironwood was home.

But Qrow didn't know that.

"Wonder where he could be," Qrow mumbled. "He never leaves his wallet." He set James down on the counter. "I'm gonna make some coffee and find us something to eat, okay? You like fish?"

**_Ring! Ring! Ring!_ **

"Oh, I better get that," Qrow sighed. "Wait here little guy."

James tried to speak, only for a soft cry to escape his beak. Qrow gave him a gentle pat on the head and went to answer the phone.

I have to get his attention, James thought. But how? There has to be a way to show him it's me. He looked around the kitchen in an attempt to find something. Qrow was talking on the phone as he prepared something to eat.

"No I haven't seen Jim yet," Qrow groaned. "Look, Ice Queen, I don't know what you want from me, but I just got home. I haven't a clue where he ran off too." He set two plates on the table, along with a fork and knife. "Look, if I see him I'll give him more than a decent punishment for skipping out on your dad. _A nice, good old-fashioned spanking."_

James let out a shriek of horror. How could Qrow be so crude? He made a note to apologize to Winter once he figured out how to change back.

"I promise," Qrow sighed. "I'll tell him you called the moment he comes home. In the meantime, just make it seem like he sent you an email saying he's home sick....No I don't know his passwords. You think Jim is stupid enough to let me have access to his computer? The guy doesn't even trust me with the key to the closet the good whiskey is kept in...Alright, alright, calm down. I'll take care of everything on this end, now get back to work, okay? Bye."

James looked over at the table, staring at the wallet as he formulated a plan. He waited for Qrow to move him to sit at the table. There was some leftover salmon from the dinner the night before, which was meant for him. Qrow had made himself some eggs and toast.

"So," Qrow said between bites. "I take it you'll be staying with me and James for a while, huh Speckle Jim?"

Speckle Jim? James thought, nibbling on the fish. Of all the names he could have picked, why that one?

"Mind if I asked what happened to you?" the man continued. "Your entire right side is missing. Did James help you with that?" Qrow smiled fondly as he sipped his coffee, humming softly as the warmth made its way through his body. "He's really something, you know. Really handy with a screwdriver. I'm sure you'll enjoy being around him. Not sure if you noticed, but he's got prosthetics like you."

James cocked his head to the side. He wasn't sure why, but the way Qrow was talking to him made him think that this wasn't the first time he'd spent his time conversing with other birds.

"Well," Qrow sighed, "I'll have to clean up when I'm done eating. After that, you and I can spend some time getting to kno- Hey!"

James had taken the opportunity to swipe the wallet, pulling out the driver's license and holding it up in his left talon. He let out a soft caw while shaking the plastic, trying to get Qrow to understand.

"That's Jim's driver's license," Qrow chuckled. "You miss him too, huh?"

Dammit Qrow, James thought. It's me! Look at me!

"I'm sure Jim will be home soon," he assured the falcon. "Now put that down. James isn't going to like it if you mess with his wallet."

James held fast to the license as Qrow tried to take it back, but in the end he let go. He didn't want to, but it was no use. He'd have to try something else. Maybe while Qrow is cleaning, James could grab some paper and a pen. Or if he could get Qrow to open the office for him so he could type it.

For now though, he was stuck with thing as are.

 

o0()0o

 

As it turned out, learning to write with talons was much harder than expected.

James had tried to write to Qrow, but he couldn't get a proper gage of his strength. The pencil tips kept breaking, and the pens couldn't leave enough of a print. Because his beak wasn't straight, and he still had no control over his talons fully, he had far too much trouble in attempting to type. There had to be something.

It's been three days, James thought. Qrow's getting worried.

Qrow hung up the phone after talking with Raven. The woman was a cop, if James remembered correctly, and was leading a team on the search for him. It's been three days, and James was still a falcon.

And no matter what he tried, he couldn't find a decent way to tell Qrow what had become of him.

He tried spelling out his name by swiping the cutlery every time Qrow when to make dinner, only for his lover to swipe the dishes back. He tried using sticks, but again, Qrow would clean up after him. He wasn't able to make a mess with Branwen on the prowl.

 _Why couldn't you be this tidy when we were roomies in college?_ he thought.

"Still no sign of him," Qrow whimpered. "Where could he have gone?"

James felt his heart breaking. He didn't like seeing Qrow worried like this. He bounced up and down, flapping his wings to try and get his attention.

"What is it Speckle Jim?" Qrow sighed, petting him. "Getting worried too, huh?"

James nudged into Qrow's hand, trying to get him to smile.

"I'm sure James is just fine," Qrow assured the bird. "He's going to be home soon. Just be patient."

 _But Qrow,_ James thought. _I'm already home._

 

o0()0o

 

It had been almost a week since he came home.

Qrow had tried to call James the first day, only to find his phone in the bedroom on the nightstand. Following that, he called everyone in their contacts. Taiyang hadn't heard from him, Oz had been at the office for several days, and Glynda had been out of town for the last two weeks. No one had heard from James Ironwood since the day before Qrow came home.

He had let Raven know that James was missing, so the police already had a missing person's report on record. One of the perks of having a twin sister who ran an entire precinct.

Despite the report though, there were no signs of him anywhere.

"James," he whispered. "Where are you?"

Qrow dropped onto the sofa, hugging his knees as he stared blankly at the television. The apartment was too quiet without someone to talk to. Speckle Jim was a decent companion, but the bird couldn't talk back.

But he was better than nothing.

When the falcon hopped up onto the sofa, he couldn't help but smile as his feathered friend nudged him. He gently pet the bird, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Jim ran off to, would you?

If Qrow didn't know any better, he could have sworn he saw the bird nod.

"I'm sorry Speckles," Qrow sighed. "I know I shouldn't be worried. I mean, James wouldn't just up and leave after all. He's out there somewhere. I know it. I just...gotta hope he'll be home soon..."

To his surprise, the bird bat at his hand with his claw. Qrow held his hand open, letting the bird take hold of his finger.

"You're a good friend, Speckles," Qrow chuckled. "I'm glad Jimmy brought you home."

Speckles let out a soft cooing sound, as if wanting to so desperately to make Qrow's suffering stop. Qrow gently wrapped an arm around the small feathered friend, smiling as Speckle Jim made himself comfortable in the crook of his neck.

"I know buddy," Qrow sighed. "I know."

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, thinking on this idea, it grew a little more than I expected.  
> Oops.  
> Hope you enjoy!


End file.
